Chris Brown is literally a magnet for drama. He really needs to do some help…like a traveling anger management coach or something.

Chris Brown’s nightclub appearance turned into an all-out brawl when he got into it with a photographer … so claims the club owner.

Chris was at Aja Channelside early Monday morning in Tampa for a paid appearance. Management says their in-house photographer was snapping pics when Chris and his entourage arrived around 1:30 AM … but Chris’ team shut him down, saying no photos.

Later, while Chris was in the DJ booth, the photographer tells us he was taking crowd shots … from behind Chris and when the singer noticed, all hell broke loose. The photog says Chris jumped over a couch and punched him in the face while he was cornered.

In the video, Chris is in red, his bodyguard is wearing yellow … and you can clearly see punches thrown into the dark corner.

Tampa cops confirm they are investigating Chris for battery after the photog said he was “sucker punched.”